Lag is one of the most irritating bugs in video gaming over the internet, but rather than let it stand in the way of potentially therapeutic virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) games, a U-M team is leading an effort to minimize it.

For years, doctors have relied on familiar vital signs — heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and oxygen levels — to monitor someone’s health. But researchers at the University of Missouri believe one key metric has been overlooked: blood viscosity, or how thick or sticky blood is as it flows through the body. And they’ve developed a breakthrough technology to monitor it non-invasively and in real time.

The first-of-its-kind device uses ultrasound waves to measure blood viscosity in real time — but the true innovation lies in its software. The system works by gently vibrating blood with a continuous sound wave — meaning it sends a steady sound wave through the blood while simultaneously sensing its response. Then, a powerful algorithm analyzes how the sound moves through the body.